Multiple mottler



P. i=1 PASTORET 2,885,809

MULTIPLE MOTTLER Filed NOV. 30, 1956 5/ ,1 J L 11W 50 v 5'0 Z8 Z8 Z8- 28 5 i l A 5/ I g/ P 'K P. Pasforef INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent MULTIPLE MOTTLER Pierre P..Pastret, SLPaul, Minn. Application November 30, 1956, Serial No. 625,506 6 Claims. (Cl. 41-55) This invention relates to an improved multiple mottler provided with flexible end extensions which can'be used in place of a comb, for touching up spots already finished, to reach into areas not otherwise touched and the provision of a combination for mottling paint in wall corners or curved surfaces.

With the devices presently known and used, it is impossible to make a complete job of mottling surfaces with sharp corners, curved surfaces and unfinished, or finished, spots which need touching up, without the use of a comb or other device to make the work complete.

Accordingly, it is an object of this improvement in multiple mottler tools to provide a single unit for accomplishing a completely finished surface having a mottled appearance Without the use of extraneous tools for finishing spots, corner and underlying framework areas. Another object of this improvement in multiple mottlers is to provide, in combination, a mottled design forming applicator having a narrow handle and block base provided with a series of parallel grooves in which the edges of a series of parallel flexible strips are anchored, with the ends of the strips extended in a flexible relationship beyond the ends of the blocks and the strip mounting grooves therein.

' Additional objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side plan view of my improved multiple mottler.

Figure 2 is a partial perspective of one end of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

The mottler A comprises a relatively rectangular block portion 10, serving as a base portion of the block A and a handle portion 11 which is relatively more narrow than the base portion 10. This block structure A is preferably formed of wood and may be of plastic or other suitable material. The uppermost or top portion 11 has been cut down along its side edges 12 and 13 and undercut to provide indentations or grooves 14 and 15 extending longitudinally of the length of the block A, between the base portion and the uppermost hand holding portion 11. The grooves 14 and provide indentations by which the fingers will more firmly grasp the handle portion 11 and the edges 12 and 13 permit the fingers and knuckles of the hand to grasp and hold the top portion 11 substantially within the plane of the edges 18 and 19 of the base portion 10. When viewed from the side and top, as

shown in Figures 1 and 3, the ends 20 and 21 of the block' A are beveled with the ends of the base portion 10 cut in the same plane of alignment as the hand holding top portion 11 permit of better sighting and facilitate manipulation of the multiple mottler tool, in the manner as hereinafter described.

As best illustrated in Figure 2, in conjunction with Figures 1 and 3, a plurality of parallel saw cuts or grooves 23 are provided in the undersurface 24 of the block body 2 portion 10 and extend longitudinally of the body. A series of flexible resilient strips 25 are "anchored in the grooves 23 so that the larger portion of the strips 25 are form the desired mottled design.

The strips 25 are formed of resiliently flexible rubber or synthetic rubbery material which tends to straighten itself after flexing. Due to the slight expansion of the rubbery material, after cuts27 are provided, the adjacent edges of the teeth 28 maintain a misaligned relationship along the cut edges. 7

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the teeth28 are not identical in size or in shape. The slits 27 are unevenly spaced and areeither normal to the free edge of the strip or at a slight angle to the perpendicular. Thus some of the teeth are wider at their base than at their free edges, while others of the teeth are wider at their free edges than at their bases. As a result some teeth tend to flex more easily than others and the teeth do not maintain a continuous line, thus producing unusual efiects not normally available with combs and other like devices.

Thus far the flexible strips 25 have been described as similar in arrangement to my U. S. Patent No. 2,595,536. However, in the present arrangement, the strips 25 are of greater length than the base portion 10 and extend outwardly in spaced relationship to the extreme outer edges of ends 20 and 21. For example, the end 20 is provided with the relative parallel row of teeth 28, each as a relatively solid body, which flex individually relative to the balance of the teeth in each strip as the whole strip sections are pulled over a painted surface. However, when the mottler body A is tipped up to drag only the ends of the teeth 28, extending from end 20, the teeth '28, being relatively solid bodies of the same size, tend to serve as a comb and collectively flex in one direction or the other as the pressure may be applied through the medium of a hand to flex the teeth 28, when block A is in the tipped position, as described. Further, the parallel row of extended teeth 28, at end 20, or the ends of the strips 25 forming these teeth, are cut along the edge portions 30 at an inclined plane to provide the outer ends 31 as relatively narrow tooth edges which fit into narrow corners or can be pushed or drawn under narrow ledges and confined spacings to effect completion of a mottling finish.

The opposite end 21 of the mottler A is provided with spaced rows of teeth 28 extending beyond the outermost edge of end 21 to a greater distance than the teeth at the opposite ends of the strips 25 relative to their adjacent end 20. The extended teeth 28, on end 21, are each cut along their edge portion 33, upwardly at an inclined plane. The exposed portion of the teeth 28, along the inclined portions 33 are longitudinally divided by a series of cuts or slits 27 thus forming a plurality of flexible end teeth 34. As illustrated in Figure 2, the cuts 27' are unevenly positioned along the inclined edges 33 to provide different sized teeth 34. Consequently, relatively speaking, the teeth 28 in conjunction with teeth 34 are of different thicknesses throughout the inclined portions 33. Thus, when the mottler A is tipped to position the inclined edges 33 on a plane with a surface to be retouched and refinished, the teeth 28 and 34 flex relatively independently upon the application of pressure, through the medium of the hand as the tool is pulled or pushed across a surface. With the teeth portions 34 extending in relatively spaced relationship to the end 21, visible control in the operation of the mottler tool A is possible. Further, the cooperational relationship of the teeth 34 in conjunction with their associated teeth 28, in adjacent relationship, permit the mottler A to be used in finishing curved and rounded surfaces where otherwise the mottler tool, in the normal plane of the plurality of teeth 28 cannot be satisfactorily utilized,

to effect a mottled or grained appearance in conformity the relative squeegee action of the multiple flexible teeth. 1

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improved multiple mottler and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that certain changes may be made within the scope of the following claims, without departing from the spirit of my improvement.

I claim:

1. A multiple mottler for producing mottled and graining effects in freshly painted surfaces comprising a hand block having a top hand holding portion and a base holding portion each provided with side and end edges, respectively, said base portion having a series of spaced grooves therein, a resilient strip in each of said grooves underlying and extending downwardly from said base, each of said strips having at least one end portion extending beyond the outermost end edge of said block, one longitudinal edge of each strip being anchored in the groove along the length thereof within the said groove with the said extending end of the strip portion being flexibly connected to the resilient strip underlying and extending downwardly from said base, each strip havinga plurality of independently flexible teeth depending along the length thereof to produce a relative squeegee action when drawing the downwardly extending teeth and the extending end portions over a freshly painted surface,

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein each resilient strip end is cut on an incline providing a plurality of ends extending across an end of said base portion of relatively lesser body depth than the relatively adjacent teeth underlying said base.

3. A multiple mottler tool for producing mottled and graining effects in freshly painted surfaces comprising a hand block having a top hand holding portion and a base portion provided with side and end edges respectively, said base portion having a series of spaced grooves therein, a resilient rubbery strip secured in each of said grooves in extended underlying relationship to said base, each of said strips having their ends extending in the plane of the base section beyond the'said end edges of said top portion and said base portion, one longitudinal edge of each strip being anchored in the groove along the intermediate length thereof within said groove with the said extending ends being flexibly connected to the resilient strip underlying from said base, each strip having a plurality of spaced slits forming in each strip independently flexible teeth depending along the length thereof, whereby when pressure is applied to said tool, the plurality of teeth in each strip are independently flexed in misaligned relationship to produce a relative squeegee action when drawing the teeth and extending ends over a freshly painted surface.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein each of the extending ends are cut at an incline relative to the longitudinal plane of each of the resilient strips to form relatively flexible narrow short teeth which bend to provide a squeegee action as the multiple mottler is drawn in a tipped relationship over a freshly painted surface.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein the extending ends of the strips at one end of the base portion are provided with cuts to afford a row of flexible teeth.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the said slits are in misaligned relationship to provide a row of flexible teeth of different body sizes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

